Abstract: Since the international popularisation of anime and manga, the bishounen has been one of Japan’s best recognised archetypal figures. But where did this stereotypical look come from, and is it a purely fictional representation? This paper examines the bishounen not just as he appears on the page or screen, but also how he appears … Continue reading In the Eye of the Beholder: Bishounen as Fantasy and Reality – Christy Gibbs